Re: Tommy/TJ
"The breathing was Maura, which I actually get. She doesn't like guessing or not being able to research these things and see if there's a way of mitigating some of the side effects...like color changing skin. But, she's been pretty great about explaining the science behind my power to me without a single comic book reference." Another shrug preceding TJ following Tommy to the couch.
"Now, see, that was the part I never had any problem accepting," he went on, taking a seat. "Possibly too much. I've never doubted that I would always be an addict and this would always be a problem for me. It was the part where I could still be clean and not use despite the addiction that I didn't really believe before now. It's still my first thought, though...or at least in the first three or four. While Travis was in surgery, it was pretty much a constant thing, something to drown out reality even for just a little while." He stopped to take a pull of his beer. "But, this is not NA and you probably don't need to hear about my hang-ups right now."
TJ snorted. "Because six months ago, it sounded crazy. I mean, really, Tommy. Think about who I was back when we started hanging out. This kind of friendship? It wasn't something I knew or believed existed. I told Travis once that friends were people I fucked, people I needed something from, or people who needed something from me. And then you, who should have known me for what I was, tell me I'm a good friend? Yeah, it sounded fucking nuts. But, I'm trying." He smirked, a teasing upturn of the corner of his mouth. "Even if I can still be a bigger bitch than you'll ever be."